Everton transfer news: Toffees lead chase for Manchester City starlet Rico Lewis as Etihad departure looms
Everton transfer news: Rico Lewis needs to get out of Manchester City. At 21, the versatile defender is simply wasting away on the Etihad bench, and a permanent summer exit is finally on the cards.
The club clearly don’t trust him enough for the big occasions anymore. Last season, Matheus Nunes completely locked down the starting spot, leaving Lewis to feed on absolute scraps. We are talking about a player with two Premier League titles and a Champions League medal in his locker, yet he managed just 11 league appearances across the entire 2025/26 campaign. Only four of those were starts. You can’t develop a career on those numbers. Now, the City chiefs are ready to sanction a sale if the right offer drops.
Goodison Park looks like the perfect landing spot. Everton are crying out for a right-back after long-serving captain Seamus Coleman wrapped up his time at the club, leaving a massive void on the right side of the defence.
Why David Moyes wants the City academy graduate
David Moyes needs someone who can handle the tough defensive shifts but also drift effortlessly into midfield during transition phases. That is precisely what Lewis does best. He learned it from the best under Guardiola. The Toffees can offer him the one thing City won’t: guaranteed, regular first-team minutes every single weekend. It’s exactly what the lad needs to jump-start his career and get back into the England Under-21 conversation.
But it will not be a free run for the Merseysiders. Far from it.
The queue is growing by the day. Nottingham Forest, Fulham, and Bournemouth are all sniffing around, actively tracking his situation to see if they can bolster their squads. Even Newcastle United and Sunderland are keeping tabs on his availability. The secret is well and truly out, and a bidding war will only drive the price up.
Everton have to move fast. Lewis wants his future sorted before pre-season training kicks off so he can clear his head and focus entirely on his football. Rival clubs are already putting the finishing touches on their opening proposals, meaning the Toffees cannot afford to dither.
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Rohit Sarkar
Rohit Sarkar is a passionate writer with a deep love for multiple sports, but his favourites are football and cricket. Since 2017, he has been covering football and cricket news with a keen eye for detail and compelling storytelling. He is a fan of the beautiful game and a specialist…